The Indiana Senate and House of Representatives have both now passed a bill requiring mopeds and motorized scooters to operate under more of the same requirements as motor vehicles.
House Bill 1343, also referred to as the Scooter Bill, updates older laws by defining two classes of “motor driven vehicles” based on the capacity of their engine and outlines requirements like registration for each class.
“Keeping motorists safe and holding operators of motor driven vehicles accountable is the intent of HB 1343,” Rep. David Wolkins, R-Warsaw, said in a statement about the House passing the bill this week. “Requiring motor driven vehicles to be registered will allow law enforcement officers to identify them, particularly in the case of criminal actions.”
Wolkins, whose district includes part of Grant County, authored the bill. It defines Class A motor driven vehicles as those with a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cubic centimeters and defines Class B motor driven vehicles as those with a capacity of 50cc or less.
Under the bill, both types of vehicles:
oAre required to be registered with the BMV.
oAre required to display a license plate.
oAre excluded from titling requirements.
oMay not be operated on an interstate highway.
oAre subject to the county motor vehicle excise surtax and the motor vehicle excise tax.
Drivers of Class A vehicles must also carry a valid driver’s license and insurance, while drivers of Class B vehicles must carry a motor driven vehicle endorsement or state-issued ID but not insurance.
The bill now goes to Gov. Mike Pence for approval.
HB 1343 mirrors some of the intents of a moped ordinance the Marion City Council has been working on with the Marion Police Department the past few months. Council member Joselyn Whitticker, D-At large, who serves on the council’s moped ordinance subcommittee, said subcommittee members were awaiting the outcome of state lawmakers’ efforts.
“We wanted to make sure that what we had worked on would be in compliance with the state law so we would not have to stop and redo anything,” she said Wednesday.
The subcommittee’s next step will now be to ensure the final draft of its ordinance matches that of the new state bill before the city ordinance is brought to the full city council.
“We will go forth,” she said. “We also think it needs to be on our local books.”